Ahhh... a fresh new season, and a fresh new blog.
Some of you may be new to my writing, and others may have previously subscribed to this back in the day. All I can say is, it feels good and a little surreal to find myself at the start of a marathon training season again and with the opportunity to write about my journey, fundraising for cancer research through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), a cause and mission near and dear to me over the last 10 years.
I managed to dig up something I wrote in May 2013:
As you know by now, Team in Training and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (and all the wonderful friends, mentors and coaches I've gotten to know and work with over the years) have given me the solid foundation in swimming, cycling, running, mental preparation/strengthening, nutrition/hydration, recovery, injury prevention and all-around competitive spirit that IS endurance racing and achieving so many goals I never thought I would even set for myself! What's more, I've learned a great deal about fundraising, cancer awareness and the generosity of others to support a cause that affects each and every one of us in some way. I will always be thankful for each experience TNT has brought me ~ including every bit of blood, sweat and tears along the way - and believe me, I've had them all!"
So here I am today, in 2019. Living and working in San Francisco and through serendipitous timing, a colleague of mine from LinkedIn's New York office, heavily involved in LLS' Man & Woman of the Year campaign reached out to me, asking if I would be interested in getting back on the team.
While I have actively kept up with running and signing up for Half Marathons for the last few years, I had to ask myself about the last time I truly felt connected to a cause beyond myself, and doing something about it.
It's been 7 years since I've trained for and ran the 26.2-mile distance, so the idea of doing it at this time in my life, let me assure you -- is daunting! Whether or not you have attempted it or completed many, the thing to remember is that no one ever wakes up one morning and says, "I got this marathon in the bag!" Which is what I suppose is the allure of the challenge - to really test and push your limits; physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually.
So, feeling a little trepidation, but guided by my own faith and inspiration from this cause, with the past, present and future survivors & honorees lighting the way... I signed up to train for the next 6 months for the TCS New York City Marathon on November 3, 2019!
And with a goal to raise $6,000 in support of LLS.
I woke up at 6 AM today to put in some miles and run my way over to Presidio Sports Basement to meet my new team and coach. This season's Kickoff was brief but reminded me very quickly what makes the Team in Training community so special: the positivity, authenticity of the people, and remembering to have fun while doing important work - which is raising awareness for a mission that affects many of us in big ways and small. One of my mantras over the last decade has been, "I run because I can, and for those who cannot."
Coach Joe said we should expect to be training about 4-6x week, between long runs; recovery runs; cross-training and track workouts. But ultimately, he said, running should always feel fun. If it's not, you're not doing it efficiently, which made me smile. Because he's right :)
After meeting a few new faces and reconnecting with some familiar ones, I decided to run back home, taking the long route and totaling about 9.75 miles this morning, broken up into 3 parts. No, not because I am an overachiever or masochist for the first day of the season... but because I have a Half Marathon next Sunday, which is a whole other story!
So for now I will leave you all with this update, along with a couple photos from my run today. I'm definitely feeling a little sore already, but so very grateful for this beautiful new day and the chance to tell you all about it.
If you or anyone you know would like to donate and support me, please visit my fundraising link:
https://pages.teamintraining.org/gba/nyc19/mafan
Here's to starting this next chapter!
Thank you all for your support,
Iya
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